A Self-Driven Path

 

In Japan, many people experience a sense of loss after retirement, often due to the difficulty of setting concrete goals or plans for the next stage of life. This can be seen as a form of adjustment disorder triggered by the sudden change in environment that retirement brings. In my case, however, I was able to adjust to life after retirement more smoothly than I had expected. Reflecting on this, I believe the key lies in three habits I practiced consistently during my many years of organizational work—despite never specifically preparing for retirement itself. These habits helped me transition into this new phase of life with relative ease.


1.    Approaching daily work with a proactive mindset and a spirit of continuous improvement.

2.    Setting personal goals for each year and taking initiative in pursuing them.

3.    Proposing my own plans and willingly taking on new responsibilities, as long as they were approved by the organization.

Although these practices were part of my work life, I now realize they had a broader impact. They cultivated a sense of ownership and purpose that carried over into my life after retirement. A few months after leaving my job, I came to a realization—one that might sound like a leap, but feels true to me: life after retirement is shaped not by external structure, but by our own vision, thoughts, and will. In that sense, it is much like launching a new venture. The driving force comes from within.

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